Spinning toy



E. J. SPERRY SPINNING TOY Nov. 2, 1937.

Filed April 23, 1935 ATTORN EY i atentecl Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED sTA'rEs OFFICE.

3 Claims.

, ously spun or rotated for a prolonged period of time and pan be thrown in the air while spinning and caught. by the spinner, therefore the toy is not only amusing and creates much iun, but also requires and produces skill on the part of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spinning toy including a spinning element havns meansfor dire tin it eli ent lly thereof on the point of the sp nner an th spinne i capabie of beingselfu port n so ha i an be .Set. upon a table or. the like with the element spinning thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spinning toy of the character set forth, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efiicient in use, operation and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of one form of spinning element which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the toy in its entirety, with the spinning element in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through a modified form of spinning element.

Referring to the drawing in detail and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the spinning element of my toy in the form as shown in Figure 1 is disk shaped and indicated by the reference numeral l. While I have illustrated the spinning elements as being in the form of a disk, I want it understood that they can be of any desired shape suitable for the purpose, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The peripheral edge of the spinning element is rolled upon itself to provide a bead 2 which may be reiniorced desired, and disposed centrally of the spinning element, is a recess or concavity 3 having a round vertical wall and the inner wall thereof provided with indentations 4 for a purpose which will be presently apparent, there being a central indentation and indentations arranged upon opposite sides of the central one as best shown in Figure 1.

Extending radially from diametrically opposite sides of the recess 3 and communicating therewith, are semi-circular depending ribs 5 which terminate in ends merging into the body of the disk, and an upwardly directed annular groove 5 is disposed about the ribs 5 and arranged concentrically with respect to the recess 0r C011? cavity 3. V The portion of my toy which I term a spinner includes a handle I which is tapered upwardly from its lower end, and the latter is outwardly flared to provide a base 8. end of the handle I opposite the base 8 may be provided with ornamentation, but in any event includes a socketed portion 9 which has secured therein one end portion of a shank ID, the latter terminating at its free end in a point II, which may be sharp, rounded or blunt.

In the use of my toy, the spinning element is placed on the point I I with the latter received in one of the lateral indentations 4. The spinner is then moved in a circle by a slight motion of the wrist or hand of the operator and this motion will cause the disk to spin. A slight jerking movement of the spinner will cause the spinning element to jump so that the point will be removed from one of the lateral indentations and be received in the center indentation. Such action is of course brought about by skillful operation of the toy.

The weight of the spinning element is then balanced and very little friction is produced, with the result the disk or spinning element will rotate for a prolonged period of time, and the spinner can be placed on a table or other fiat surface as suggested in Figure 2.

While the element is spinning, with the spinner held in the hand, the element can be thrown in the air, and caught on the point. In the event the disk is caught outwardly beyond the recess 3 and inwardly of the groove 6, and spinning on the point in a clockwise direction, the depending ribs 5 will tend to direct the element, so that the point will be received in the recess, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 1. Should the disk be caught with the point inside the However, in this form an annular depending rib I4 V-shaped in cross section is provided and has its inner wall merging into the recess 15 which is similar to the recess 3 and in any event is disposed centrally of the disk, as shown.

In each or any of the forms of the spinning element, the indentations may extend through the same, or be in the form of openings or apertures.

It might be further stated that the centrally located recess shown as 3 in Figure 1 is not necessarily circular, but may be triangular, square, or any other shape; and in the event that some other shape than circular is used it might be practical and desirable to eliminate the indentations 4 altogether;

The depending ribs 5 in Figure 1 might be replaced by some other construction to accomplish the desired result; for example grooves, or slits with one side bent downward so as to form a guiding surface for the point of the spinner.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make,

changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: w

1. A toy comprising a spinning element adapted to be thrown in the air and having a central recess and indentations disposed in the recess, pointed means to be received in any one of some of the indentations for spinning said element thereby and in one indentation for the element to spin thereon, guide ribs formed on the spinning element and communicating with the recess for directing the spinning element on the pointed means to receive the latter in the recess, and the spinning element having an annular groove therein surrounding the ribs and recess and adapted to receive the pointed means therein.

'2. A toy comprising a spinning element adapted to be thrown in the air and having a central recess provided with aligned indentations disposed in and across the inner wall thereof, pointed means to be received in any one of some 01 the indentations for spinning said element thereby and in one indentation for the element to spin thereon, and the spinning element having an annular groove therein surrounding the recess and adapted to receive the pointed means therein.

3. A toy comprising a substantially disk-shaped spinning element adapted to be thrown in the air and having a central recess provided with a. round vertical Wall and having an indentation disposed centrally within the inner wall thereof and lateral indentations upon opposite sides of the central indentation, an annular depending rib concentric with the recess and being V-shaped in cross section, with its inner wall merging into the vertical wall of the recess, pointed means to be received in any one of the lateral indentations for spinning said element thereby and in the central indentation for the element to spin thereon, and the element having an annular groove surrounding the recess and rib and adapted to receive the pointed means therein.

EDGAR J. SPERRY. 

